Remember Me?
by XxSapphire-fandomsxX
Summary: The months after Gin's disappearance/death has been excruciating. Hotaru decides to visit the forest one last time to officially say goodbye. However, upon arriving there, she comes across a happy yet devastating surprise. Something that cannot be explained by the other spirits, or even the Mountain God himself. (Hotaru x Gin)
1. Introduction

Remember Me?

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_**Hi! My name is Azure. Just to let you know, this is my first Hotarubi no Mori e fanfiction, so sorry if it sucks lol. Also, I have three other stories that I'm working on, so if I don't update this one for a while, you know why now. ANYWAYS, I hope you enjoy chapter 1 of "Remember Me?"! -Azure**_

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I stopped at the wooden steps before my grandfather's house. Glancing up, I squinted as the harsh rays of the sunlight consumed my eyes. The house was as it always was, the same traditional Japanese wooden structure that shared so many memories. Lush, green grass licked at the parts of my feet that were exposed from wearing sandals. The cicada's rhythmic and sweet music filled the dry, hot air and filled a bit of my empty heart.

It was painful here. So, very painful.

I sighed lightly, and marched up the steps as they creaked underneath my weight. "Grandfather! I'm here!" I hollered as I dragged my luggage onto the porch on which I stood.

There was a bit of a pause before I heard something in reply.

"Hotaru! Put your things in the living room for now! Then meet me in the kitchen for some watermelon." My grandfather shouted back in his usual cheery voice.

"Ok!" I yelled back as I yanked my luggage to the living room. Setting my bags down in the center of the room, I huffed from exhaustion and walked toward the kitchen where my grandfather was waiting. A smile played across his face as he offered the plate of watermelon.

With some hesitation, I grabbed a slice of the sweet and watery fruit as we headed towards the side of the porch that over-looked that forest.

The forest that held some of my most happiest and worst memories of my life.

Those memories were the ones that turned me into what I am now: A depressed and unresponsive high school girl.

The memories were melancholy and described myself quite well. I was found daydreaming more often then normal at school and at home. My 'friends' had abandoned me after a few days of acting like this. But the occurrence of it all was to much for a weak girl like me to handle. He was the reason that my summers were something I looked forward too. He was one of my first true friends- No. He was my first love. I loved him more than anything. Yet, just like how a light turns off when you flipped the switch, he was gone. Just like that. His disappearance was the memory I remembered best, despite how it made me feel.

That joyous and agonizing night. He reached out to the falling child, and caught his arm. None of us realized the boy he had caught was human. A few seconds after the touch, he started glowing a beautiful silver green. He had touched a human. And he was disappearing because of it.

"Hotaru! I can finally touch you!" He had told me, his gentle and steady arms held wide to embrace me.

Pulling his beloved white mask off my face, I ran up to him and gave him the embrace, the touch he had so longed desired. The few seconds we had, locked into each others' warm and loving grasp, were some of the best moments of my life. I could finally touch the one I loved for countless summers, for numbers of years.

As fast as the hug had been, his body was gone, and his soul was scattered, leaving me alone and forlorn. I sobbed hysterically into his clothes that he left behind.

After the moment had past, I stood up clumsily while wet, silent tears streamed down my cheeks.

I walked to the mask he had gave me, and delicately picked it up, as if it would disappear like he did moments before. I stared at the mask's painted face and held it close to my body. The mask was all I had left of him besides the abounding memories I had imprinted into my mind.

He was precisely why I chose to come to my grandfather's house.

Not because of my parents begging me, saying that it would help me.

Not because I looked forward to the summer ahead.

It was because of him. I wanted to officially say goodbye to him. To my beloved Gin.

.:.:.:.:**End of Introduction**:.:.:.:.

_**Azure: So; what did you guys think? It probably sucked lol. Please tell me anything that I need to improve upon. Derp I was actually crying when I wrote this, because I was writing it like a few minutes after I just finished the movie. I was sobbing so much but I had to keep it as silent as possible because I was watching it at midnight and I didn't want to wake my parents up lol. *sigh* Gin. why did you have to go?! You're making the fangirls cry themselves to sleep!**_

_**Gin: It's not my problem! I didn't know that boy was a human! **_

_**Azure: Well, you should have been cautious and not help him at all! Or at least tell Hotaru to help him instead!**_

_**Hotaru: Huh what?**_

_**Gin: ...**_

_**Azure: Anyway, you're lucky I'm going to write what I'm going to write! Hmph *shun***_

_**Gin: What are you going to write?**_

_**Hotaru: Yeah, how come you can't tell us? *pout***_

_**Azure: First, I don't want to spoil it for them *points to readers* Second, I want it to be a surprise for you guys.**_

_**Gin: I don't care about surprises, tell me! I want to know! Especially if it involves being with Hotaru!**_

_**Azure: Nope.**_

_**Hotaru: Come on!**_

_**XxTerraxX: Don't push it any further you two. When Azure has her mind set on something, she means it o3o**_

_**Gin: ...Fine**_

_**Hotaru: Please R & R in the comments below!**_


	2. Goodbye under the Silver Moonlight

Remember Me?

Chapter 1

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_**Azure: Hey my fellow Hotarubi no Mori e fans! According to fanfiction terms, this would be chapter 2, but the last chapter was the introduction, so this is really chapter 1. Hope you enjoy never the less! **_

_**Gin: ...That didn't really make sense.**_

_**Azure: Whatever. I'm pretty sure the readers will understand. Just please do the honors**_

_**Gin: *sigh* Azure does not own Hotarubi no Mori e. But you people should know that.**_

_**Azure: If I did own Hotarubi no Mori e, I would make sure that Gin didn't disappear. He and Hotaru are a perfect couple! *squeal***_

_**Gin: Uh...thanks I guess... *secretly very happy***_

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(Hotaru's POV)

I peered up at the wooden ceiling, which was darkened from the lack of light. It felt cold and clammy in my room, and I didn't like it. It made me feel alone. But what did it matter? Gin is already gone, and surely the other spirits of the forest wouldn't welcome me. They lost one of their best friends because of me.

I shifted uncomfortably because of the thought, and now turned my gaze to the door which concealed me from the outside, the forest, and the moonlight that attempted to shine through it.

Sleep was hopeless at this point, as I sat up in bed and carefully rubbed my eyes from the lack of sleep. Sleep. Such a beautiful thing, as others say. Not in my case. Whenever I closed my eyes, I drifted off into an unknown realm, a peaceful fantasy, where I would still meet up with Gin, and hang out like we used too. Walking through the woods, while sharing a snack. Then we'd arrive at the lake, where we would discuss about what has happened recently in our lives under the hot summer sun. It all seemed so real, like I could reach out and grab a hold of it. Only then do I catch nothing but air. He was gone, and I just had to accept it. But I would be lying if I said it was easy. Obviously it's not. What other reason did my parents send me here? In their minds, probably to see my grandfather and get some fresh air, away from all the stress and school back home.

Unable to drift back into unconsciousness, I stood up quietly and tiptoed across the squeaky floor, careful not to wake anyone up. As softly as I could, I slide the door open, finally allowing the moon's dancing silver rays to enter my room, which illuminated it a ghastly whitish-gray. I continued out of my room and carefully slid the door closed once more, shutting the caressing light out.

Then, I turned back toward the forest, and experienced something I haven't witnessed in many months. The dark and still sky was filled with twinkling stars, which consumed the sky from any point of view. Right above the leafy foliage of the sacred trees was the moon, which looked like a giant star. The moon and the stars together reminded me of a beehive ad the ranks; The stars were the worker bees, spread out to work for the colony; And the moon was like the queen bee, keeping an eye on the workers while shining brilliantly as a great leader. The stars were lighting up the sky as best the could, while the moon was providing the most, while inflicting those staring up at it with feelings of peace, serenity, and warmth. The cuticles of the leaves were reflecting the silver glow, making the forest look like it was glowing.

I gave a small, but wistful smile upon seeing the sight. Surely, if Gin were here now, he would adore it with me. Speaking of which, I better say goodbye now. That's the only reason why I came here this summer. To say goodbye. During that night, his disappearance was so unexpected, what else could I do but cry and hug him? After his soul scattered I was in shock. I couldn't say goodbye. Not yet. I believed, maybe he was still out there, somewhere. But during the rest of the summer, I realized that those were only foolish dreams. He was gone, and would never come back.

With bare feet trailing across the surprisingly cold and sharp grass, I stalked through the field until I arrived at the gate where Gin and I first met. Hot and unwanted tears found there way to the corners of my eyes, as I gently wiped them away. No, I was not going to cry no. _I have to be strong for Gin. _And that was just what I did. Feeling a new sense of motivation, I stepped into the forest of the Mountain God.

The minute I stepped in, I felt a different aura than I was expecting. It wasn't a sense of foreboding or hatred, like I thought. Instead, it was welcoming and I also felt a sense of...relief?

I furrowed my brows in puzzlement. _Why did it feel relieved when I entered? If anything, the spirits should dislike me. _

"Oh, but Hotaru, why would we dislike you?" Questioned a mystical but rough voice. It seemed to have come from nowhere, and I gasped and shuddered at the thought. Slowly turning in the opposite direction I was facing, I became face to face with the familiar fox spirit. Clutching my heart, I gave a sigh of alleviation.

"You scared me!" I replied as I gave a weak smile, which quickly turned upside down. The fox spirit looked guilty, and bowed his head shamefully. "I apologize, but there's a more important matter to be concerned with right now." At hearing these words, my troubled expression turned to one of surprise and curiosity. "Well," He started. "it has to do with-" "Has to do with what Mr. Fox spirit? And who are you talking too?" My blood chilled at hearing these words. I knew who that voice belonged to all too well. I had spent countless of summers playing with him, and admiring him to the point where I had fallen in love. Fixating my gaze to the right of me, sat the familiar figure with silver hair and golden eyes.

It was Gin.

My mouth was partially opened in shock, even though it was quite rude. At first upon seeing him, I was confused on why he didn't have his painted mask, like he usually did. After a few minutes of pondering about this, I remembered that I had the mask with me back at my grandparent's house.

Gin hopped down from the boulder he was siting on, and walked up to me. "Who are you? You don't look familiar." Those words brought me to tears. _He...he doesn't r-remember me? _Closing my eyes, I bowed my head and silently waited for the tears to start flowing. Sure enough, they did, as I felt wet streaks slide down my cheeks and into the forest floor below. _He doesn't...remember me..._ Repeating this sentence in my head, it saddened me even more. Through my blurred vision, I saw Gin's feet shift in the grass. "Uh...did I...saw something to upset you?" He asked me guiltily. Instead of answering him, I turned and ran away from the scene, causing me to go deeper into the forest.

"Hotaru! Wait!" The fox spirit yelled, but I was to far away and deplored to return or answer him back. All I wanted to do was run. Find a place where I could peacefully grieve to myself.

_He doesn't remember...He doesn't remember..._

After a few minutes of running, I stumbled on a tree root and face planted into the soft dirt. Instead of regaining my position, I wept loudly into the earth.

_Why Gin?...Why..._

.:.:.:.:**End**:.:.:.:.

**Azure: Sorry it took so long to complete! I've been having so much homework -_- Thankfully, I think I'm getting a bit less, so I might be able to update more!**

**Gin: Why don't I remember Ho-**

**Azure: HUSH YO MOUTH! Don't give any spoilers!**

**Hotaru: ...Admin, you're mean! Making Gin forget me!**

**Azure: *facepalm* Anyway, please R & R!**


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